USC Football: Matt Leinart Identifies "First And Most Important Thing" Lincoln Riley Must Fix Next Year
There is plenty to be critical of regarding the way the USC Trojans ended their 2023 regular season (they still have a bowl game to play, but given their middling 7-5 record, it won't be a great one).
After getting bullied by the UCLA Bruins in the final Pac-12 battle between the long-time rivals, it appears there is one aspect of the team that needs to be addressed.
Former two-time national champion USC quarterback Matt Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, knows what must be done, and it's an aspect of football that most analysts preach about: the offensive and defensive lines.
Games are often won and lost in the trenches, and if the lines aren't working, plays on both sides of the ball cannot develop.
Leinart has a huge point about the Trojans needing to fix their lines, especially as they are entering the Big Ten conference next year. The conference contains teams like Michigan, Penn State, and Ohio State, all of which are fantastically well-rounded teams.
Caleb Williams saw the brunt of the damage in terms of poor offensive line play, as he was constantly under pressure and on the run. Though he has the ability to escape and turn a would-be sack into a monster play, the offensive line holding it down could have resulted in back-to-back Heisman wins for the young quarterback.
The same can be said for the defensive line not pressing any opposing quarterback enough, allowing for chunk yardage. Take the USC and Cal game. Though the Trojans came away with the win, they could have dominated the game had the lines done their job.
USC is in for some huge coaching changes, and that could start from Lincoln Riley, all the way down to position coaches having to find new employment. Big changes are coming, and it starts with the lines getting a much-needed boost.
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